A little over a year ago, in September, 2008,
I was a groomsman in the wedding of one of my best friends. The fete took
place in Sonoma, perhaps the most charming of all California wine country
destinations, and it was a weekend to remember—a scorching late summer
heat wave turning up the temperature on a reunion that seemed, in retrospect,
like a permanent tattoo....

Some wines will only truly shine in the right
context. They need the right setting or the right food (or the right music)
to truly bring out their greatness. If you were to try one of these wines
at a bar or a party you might find it off-putting. They are not casual drinking
wines; they are wines with a purpose. ...